David Nacht

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Biography

David Nacht has tried numerous cases and his most recent victories include:

  • Successfully defending the accused in multiple investigations of executives, physicians, professors, employees, and students resulting in findings of no wrongdoing or slap on the wrist punishment.  These cases include Title IX, fraud, embezzlement, academic integrity.
  • Obtaining financial settlements for dozens of executives, physicians, health care professionals, and employees in the past two years who were wrongfully terminated for a variety of reasons such discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, FMLA violations. 
  • Prevailing in two felony criminal cases that resulted in dismissals in 2019.
  • Making new law for the rights of students who are accused of misconduct in Michigan in a federal lawsuit.
  • Making new law in federal court expanding the right to go to trial on a mixed motive theory of discrimination in a case of national origin and religious discrimination in 2018.
  • Winning a property dispute in the middle of trial in Washtenaw County circuit court in 2018.
  • Obtaining a settlement after trial for a woman mistreated at the Canadian border and also negotiating a settlement for a client for over six million dollars in 2017.
  • In June 2012, in Muskegon County, Michigan in the case of Crosby v. Michigan Department of Corrections a civil jury awarded a judgment of $390,000. 
  • In criminal cases, Mr. Nacht has obtained multiple not guilty verdicts and several settlements of no incarceration for guilty pleas in felony matters in the past several years.
  • Mr. Nacht routinely negotiates non-compete agreements, executive compensation packages, physician and medical group contracts, settlement, and severance agreements.
  • Mr. Nacht obtains dozens of five-figure settlements and many six-figure settlements for his clients in negotiation and litigation each year.

 

Mr. Nacht, the firm founder, holds degrees from Harvard College ('87) and The University of Michigan Law School ('92), where he served as an editor of the Law Review. Mr. Nacht is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell, the highest rating for lawyers by lawyers, has been named a "Million Dollar Advocate" and also has been named to the 2011 thru 2018 editions of Michigan Super Lawyers. Each year, no more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state receive this honor. Mr. Nacht is also AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell.  Prior to attending law school, Mr. Nacht served as a staff member to former U.S. Senator John Glenn on the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, where he organized committee hearings and assisted the Senator in negotiating the passage of multiple pieces of legislation.

Mr. Nacht founded the firm in January 1996 in Ann Arbor, after practicing law at Miller Canfield - Michigan's largest law firm. Nacht also clerked for a federal district judge, Hon. Stewart Newblatt, in the Eastern District of Michigan. He has served as faculty for the American Bar Association Health Law section and formerly chaired the Washtenaw County Bar Association Employment Law section.

 Mr. Nacht has published articles on employment law, criminal law and a book chapter on ethics in government. He often speaks on legal issues and has appeared on several occasions as a guest lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School and spoken to professional associations.

 Nacht is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and is admitted to practice before federal district courts in Michigan, the Northern District of Ohio, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals and the US Supreme Court and numerous other Federal Courts. He is also a member of the American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, American Association for Justice, Michigan Bar Association, and the National and Michigan Employment Lawyers' Associations.

Nacht has an extensive background in public service and non-profit leadership. He previously held local elective office where among his accomplishments was reforming the pension and retiree health care system for township employees and ensuring fiscal soundness. He served for 10 years on the board of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, where he successfully expanded service to poorer neighborhoods, focused his attention on adequate service for the elderly and disabled, and was primarily responsible for initiating regional service to the airport and suburban communities. Nacht also played a leadership role in reforming the pension and retiree healthcare plan for AATA. Nacht has served on the board or otherwise played leadership roles in two organizations that serve homeless children and families in Washtenaw County: Ozone House and Alpha House.

Practice Areas

  • Employment Law
  • Education Law
  • Civil Rights
  • Business Solutions
  • Non-Compete Law
  • Criminal Law

Current Employment Position

  • Founder and Principal

Past Positions

  • Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.
  • Retired Federal District Judge, Stewart Newblatt, Eastern District of Michigan, Law Clerk, Clerk
  • Former U.S. Senator John Glenn, Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, Staff Member

Education

  • The University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
    • J.D. - 1992
    • Honors: With Honors
  • Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts
    • B.A. - 1987
    • Honors: With Honors

Bar Admissions

  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • Michigan
  • Ohio

Honors

  • Michigan Super Lawyers; Employment and Labor, 2011 - 2019
  • U. S. News - Best Lawyers, Best Law Firms, 2015 - 2019
  • AV Rated - Martindale Hubbell
  • Million Dollar Advocate
  • 2015 Top Lawyer's - dbusiness - Detroit's Premier Business Journal, Criminal Defense

Classes & Seminars

  • Lectured on Strategy for Settling Cases , Professor Richard Friedman, University of Michigan
  • Lectured on Employment Law Issues and Technology, State Bar of Michigan, Intellectual Property Section, September 2016
  • Guest Lecturer, University of Michigan Law School
  • Guest Lecturer, University of Michigan College of Engineering: High Tech Entrepreneurship

Representative Cases

  • Crosby v. Michigan Department of Corrections

Professional Associations

  • American Bar Association, Health Law Section, Faculty
  • Washtenaw County Bar Association, Employment Law Section, Former Chair
  • Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, Board, 2003 to 2013
  • State Bar of Michigan, Member, Present
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • Federal Bar Association, Member, Present
  • American Association for Justice, Member, Present
  • Michigan Bar Association, Member, Present
  • National Employment Lawyers' Association, Member
  • Michigan Employment Lawyers' Association, Member, Present
  • Ohio Employment Lawyers Association , Member, Present
  • Ohio Association For Justice , Member, Present
  • Ohio State Bar Association , Member, Present
  • Massachusetts Bar Association, Member, 2017 to Present

Pro Bono Activities

  • Ozone House
  • Alpha House